Ducks unable to overcome three-run seventh inning
(Central Islip, N.Y., Sept. 10, 2014) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 9-7 on Wednesday evening in the middle game of a three-game series at Bethpage Ballpark.
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the seesaw affair
POSTGAME VIDEO: Kevin Baez and Lew Ford talk about the game
The Blue Crabs scored twice in the opening inning against Ducks starter Shaun Garceau on a sacrifice fly to right by Jake Opitz and a double steal that scored Jermaine Mitchell. The Ducks responded immediately in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles by Lew Ford and Cody Puckett off Blue Crabs starter Ian Marshall.
Southern Maryland took the lead back in the third on a two-run double from Steve Moss. However, Long Island jumped in front with a three-run fourth. Ford was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Adam Bailey followed with a two-run single to center.
Angel Chavez evened the score at five in the sixth with a RBI single before a three-run seventh put the Blue Crabs in front 8-5. A RBI single by Moss, a run-scoring error and a RBI double by C.J. Ziegler did the damage. The Ducks closed to within one in the eighth on RBI singles from Bailey and C.J. Retherford, but they could not pull even.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Garceau tossed five and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out seven. Marshall lasted five innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Orlando Santos (2-0) earned the win after tossing one and one-third scoreless innings of relief. Brett Lorin (2-3) took the loss after surrendering three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning. Justin Berg collected his sixth save with a scoreless ninth.
Bailey led the Flock with three hits and three runs batted in. Ford, Fehlandt Lentini and Dan Lyons each chipped in with two hits.
The Ducks wrap up their three-game series against the Blue Crabs on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Green Koozies, courtesy of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Prior to the game, the Ducks will unfurl a giant American Flag behind home plate and observe a moment of silence to remember the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Right-hander Jared Lansford toes the rubber for the Ducks against Blue Crabs righty Jake Hale.
Tickets for the game and every Ducks regular season home game are now on sale. Fans can purchase their tickets by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling 631-940-TIXX or by CLICKING HERE. Those unable to make the game can follow all the action online, with live streaming video and audio available on the Ducks official YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
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Duck Tales: With two singles on Wednesday, Lew Ford earned his 32nd two-hit and team-leading 53rd multi-hit game of the year. The former big leaguer has multiple hits in 10 of his last 14 contests. During that span, Ford is batting .421 (24-for-57) with four doubles, one home run, 10 RBI and 12 runs…With a double and a single on Wednesday, Fehlandt Lentini collected his team-best 34th two-hit game and 46th multi-hit contest overall. The double was his 33rd of the year, which ranks third in the Atlantic League, five behind league leader and teammate Ford…With three singles on Wednesday, Adam Bailey picked up his 11th three-hit game and 40th multi-hit game of the year. The second-year Duck has now earned at least one hit in 15 of his last 18 games. In addition, Bailey drove in three runs for the sixth time this year, the most on the Ducks. He now has a total of 23 multi-RBI games this year…With a RBI single on Wednesday, C.J. Retherford has picked up a hit in eight of his nine games with the Flock. The infielder has 11 hits in his first 33 at-bats (.333 AVG) with five RBI, five runs and four walks. Three of his five RBI have come with two outs in an inning…Tommy Organ tossed a scoreless one-third of an inning on Wednesday. He now has appeared in six consecutive games without allowing a run. In addition, the southpaw has allowed a run in just one of his 14 games thus far with Long Island.
Game Date: 09/10/2014 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 9 AT Long Island Ducks 7 YTD YTD S Maryland AB R H BI AVG L Island AB R H BI AVG B.Stevens SS 5 1 2 0 .250 F.Lentini RF 4 3 2 0 .297 J.Mitchell CF 4 3 2 0 .282 B.Harris 3B 5 0 1 0 .301 C.Hankerd RF 3 1 1 0 .279 L.Ford CF 3 2 2 2 .350 J.Opitz 2B 4 2 1 1 .277 A.Bailey LF 5 0 3 3 .307 S.Moss DH 4 1 2 3 .293 C.Retherford DH 4 0 1 1 .333 C.Ziegler 1B 3 0 1 1 .281 C.Puckett 2B 5 0 1 1 .283 M.Schwartz LF 4 1 1 1 .276 B.Bantz C 5 0 1 0 .264 A.Chavez 3B 5 0 1 1 .278 J.Brodin 1B 4 1 1 0 .257 J.Skelton C 4 0 1 0 .241 D.Lyons SS 5 1 2 0 .253 36 9 12 7 40 7 14 7 S Maryland 2 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 1 - 9 12 0 L Island 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 - 7 14 1 2B--B.Stevens (20), J.Opitz (23), S.Moss (9), C.Ziegler (30), M.Schwartz (1), F.Lentini (33). RBI--J.Opitz (66), S.Moss 3 (20), C.Ziegler (70), M.Schwartz (7), A.Chavez (35), L.Ford 2 (90), A.Bailey 3 (87), C.Retherford (5), C.Puckett (73). HP--C.Ziegler (3), F.Lentini (5), L.Ford 2 (15), C.Retherford (1). SF--J.Opitz (6), M.Schwartz (1). SB--B.Stevens (13), J.Mitchell (24), C.Hankerd (3), J.Opitz (7), S.Moss (3), J.Skelton (13). E--A.Bailey (4). LOB--S Maryland 8, L Island 12. DP--C. Ziegler(1B) - B. Stevens(SS). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA S Maryland I.Marshall 5.0 7 5 5 2 2 0 4.30 J.Brown 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 3.98 O.Santos (W,2-0) 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.81 W.Korpi 0.2 3 2 2 0 0 0 2.89 J.Marban 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 J.Berg (S,6) 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3.26 9 14 7 7 2 4 0 L Island S.Garceau 5.2 7 5 5 3 7 0 4.91 T.Organ 0.1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1.93 B.Lorin (L,2-3) 0.1 3 3 2 1 0 0 2.27 K.Regas 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 6.00 S.Perez 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.94 D.Kopp 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 2.90 9 12 9 8 5 10 0 WP--J.Marban (1), S.Garceau (6). HB--I.Marshall 3 (11), J.Brown (9), D.Kopp (1). SO--B.Stevens 2, J.Mitchell 2, C.Hankerd, S.Moss 2, C.Ziegler 2, J.Skelton, A.Bailey, B.Bantz 2, J.Brodin. BB--J.Mitchell, C.Hankerd 2, S.Moss, C.Ziegler, F.Lentini, J.Brodin. BF--I.Marshall 27 (638), J.Brown 4 (368), O.Santos 4 (62), W.Korpi 5 (299), J.Marban 2 (10), J.Berg 4 (87), S.Garceau 26 (669), T.Organ 2 (54), B.Lorin 5 (201), K.Regas 2 (13), S.Perez 3 (67), D.Kopp 6 (129). P-S--I.Marshall 104-63, J.Brown 18-11, O.Santos 22-15, W.Korpi 12-8, J.Marban 8-5, J.Berg 11-6, S.Garceau 102-62, T.Organ 10-6, B.Lorin 17-9, K.Regas 11-7, S.Perez 15-10, D.Kopp 18-9. T--3:30. A--4396 Bottom 1: Blue Crabs mound visit by pitching coach...Top 7: Ducks mound visit by manager Plate Umpire - Warren Nicholson, Field Umpire #1 - Frank Leparik, Field Umpire #2 - Fred DeJesus